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. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. PARMENTER.

v GOMBINED CORSET AND BUSTLE.

Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

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(No findel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. PARMENTER.

COMBINED CORSET AND BUSTLE.

No. 378,518. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

T :21 1 I I N. mans. Pholaiithognpher. Wnhington. DIC.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. P. PARMENTER.

COMBINED CORSET AND BUSTLE.

. Patented Feb. 28, 1888.

(No Model.)

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lvi/lkwwow PHEBA PARMENTER, OF LAMAR, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. M. STEARNS, OF SAME PLACE.

commune coasn'r AND ensue.

SPBCIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 378,518, dated February 28, 1888. Application filed April 4, 1887. Serial No. 233,629. (No modelJ To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pnnnn PARMENTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamar, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Corset and Bustle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined corset and bustle; and it consists of the peculiar combination of devices and novel construction and arrangement of the various parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate acombined bustle and corset embodying my improvements, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the side and front sections of the corset with the bustle removed. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the bustle, looking from the inner side thereof. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through one of the ends of the steels, the sheath thereto, and the metallic pocket of my invention for preventing the end of the steel from working through the sheath and causing annoyance to the wearer. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through the devices for coupling the bustle to the corset. Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective View of one of the bustlesuspending hooks. Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view of the metallic pocket for the end of the steel. Fig. 9 is a detailed view of one of the breast-pads. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the straps I.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates a corset of my invention, and B the bustle,connectedthereto in a peculiar manner, which parts I Will now proceed to more fully describe.

The corset comprises two front sections, 0 D, and two back and side sections, E F,which are flexibly and adj ustably coupled together. The front sections, 0 D, of my improved corset are provided with the steels a along their meeting front edges, which are curved to conform to the shape of the form of the wearer, and these front steels, a, have the usual corset-fastening, a, by means of which the free edges of the front sections are detachably coupled or connected together. Each front section of the corset is further provided with a vertical central steel, 2), at its middle, and near its rear edge with a similar steel, I), both of which are fitted in the cloth or material of which the corset-sections are composed, or in suitable sheaths. The rear sides of the front corset'sections, O D, between the vertical side and rear steels, b b, are braced by short diagonal strips or pieces of whalebone or other flexible material, c,which are arranged within suitable sheaths in the sections in a mannersimilar to that in which the steels are housed. These pieces or strips of whalebone are arranged in parallel inclined lines between the side and rear steels to provide a support for the back of the wearer; but as these devices have been heretofore employed in this connec tion 'I do not wish to be understood as laying claim thereto as of my invention.

The rear sections, E F, of the corset A are each provided with a central and two side steels, e e, respectively,wl1 ich are each housed within suitable sheaths made in the material of which the corset is composed, and between the central and side steels are arranged a se ries of inclined stiffening-braces, c of whale bone or other suitable flexible material, which are housed Within the sections in the manner hereinbefore described. The meeting edges of the front and rear sections, G E and D F, are connected together by intermediate elastic straps, G. At the upper and lower ends of the meeting edges of the said corset-sections are arranged straight elastic straps, as shown, and between these straight elastic straps are arranged two series of inclined straps, the straps of one series crossing the straps of the other series. By thus arranging the elastic connecting-straps intermediate the corset-sections I provide a yielding elastic connection, and small spaces are left between the straps, which permit a perfect ventilation of air through the corset, thereby enabling the latter to be worn with comfort and ease. The ends of the short elastic straps are secured to the vertical steels in the meeting edges of the corset by means of staples or other suitable fastenings, and the crossed straps are connected together at their middle by suitable fastenings,

g, which thereby serve to increase the strength of the straps and prevent the strap of one pair from becoming unduly strained while the other strap of the same pair is only partially strained or stretched.

To prevent the ends of the corset-steels from working through the linings or sheaths provided therefor in the corset-sections, I provide each end of the steel with a metallic pocket, H,which thereby serves to protect the wearer from injury from the steels. Each of these pockets is fitted over the edges of the corset and over the ends of the steels, and each pocket is made of a single piece of metal.

I preferably stamp the pockets from a single piece of sheet metal, and the blank thus formed has an imperforate body and four projecting arms. The body is folded or bent upon itself into the form of a letter U, and is fitted over one edge of the corset and over the end of the steel therein. The arms of the pocket lie on opposite sides of the edges of the steel, and the free ends of the arms h of the pocket have spurs h which are passed through the corset and are bent or folded over upon the arms h on the reverse orinner side of the same, the said prongs being bent over the free ends of the other pair of arms, to thereby prevent the latter from catching in the clothing of the wearer and to securely connect the pockets to the corset and prevent accidental displacement or detachment of the pockets. It will be seen that the pockets will effectually prevent the ends of the steels from working through the corset, as the said pockets are made of metal, and it will be impossible for the ends of the steels to penetrate the metallic pocket.

, The meeting edges of the rear sections, E F, of the corset of my invention are adjustably connected together by means of straps I I and the buckles J. Each strap I I is formed of two pieces of suitable fabric, which are arranged at their inner ends on opposite sides of the inner steel of the rear section, the said inner ends of the pieces of fabric being sewed to the rear corset-sections, and the side edges of the fabrics being secured together by sewing, as is obvious. The straps I of the rear corset-sections are each provided with a series of apertures or openings, a, which are worked therein, and to the free edges of the straps I are connected the buckles J. These buckles are of any preferred pattern and are made flat, as shown, and the fiat tongues of the buckles are passed through or fitted in the apertures in the other strap, 1. Each strap I is further provided with a fixed loop, J, of fabric, which is sewed thereto at a point in rear of the point where the'buckle is connected in place, and the free end of the strap 1. is fitted in or passed through this loop after having been passed through the buckle, to thereby prevent the ends of the straps from wearing the clothing, and relieving the wearer of the annoyance of the ends of the straps from hanging therefrom.

K designates breast-pads, which are secured on the inner sides of the front sections of the corset to prevent the rough inner surface of the corset from coming in contact with the person and insure a neat fit. Each of these pads is preferably made round, as shown, and it is provided with ears 70, through which are passed staples k, that serve to detachably connect the pads to the corset, so that they can be removed with facility to wash the same, if desirable.

L are the hip-pads, which are of suitable fabric, and are connected to the lower straight elastic strap G. Both the breast and hip pads are made of fabric, and they are each adapted to be suitably corded. The hippads are connected to the lowermost elastic strap G by means of a staple, Z, which passes through the upper edge of the pad and the strap G, to

thereby detachably connect the pad to the strap, so that it can be moved to wash it in like manner as the breast-pads.

One of the side edges of each of the hip-pads is connected to the rear section of the corset by an intermediate slack strap, L, which has its ends sewed to the pad and the corset-section to which it is secured, and the opposite side edge of the hip-pad is connected to the front section of the corset by means of an adjustablestrap, M, which is made in two sections, one end of one section being secured to the hip-pad on one side thereof and the outer end of the other section of the strap being secured to the corset-section, while the free ends of the said sections of the strap are adj ustably connected together.

It will be observed that the hip-pads are braced on opposite sides by the straps connecting the same with the front and rear corset'sections, and that one of the straps can be lengthened or shortened to properly adjust the hip-pads to the person.

The bustle B of my invention has a suitable inclosing sheath or jacket, B", which is made of fabric and is stitched together at intermediate points of its length, as at b, to provide a series of pockets or compartments, B These pockets extend transversely or horizontally across the bustle, and they taper in opposite directions from the middle of the bustle toward the ends thereof, as is obvious. Each of the pockets or compartments is filled or stuffed with sponge, which serves to expand or distend the bustle and causes the lower compartment or pocket to project rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the intermediate pocket, while the latter pocket projects in like manner beyond the upper pocket, and thereby provides a support for the clothing of the wearer. By employing a filling of sponge for the pockets of the bustle it is made very light and will not retain the heat, which is very desirable in the summer season. I

The edges of the fabric sheath of the bustle are protected from raveling by means of a pliable band, N, which is doubled or folded over the edges of the sheath and has its free inner edges secured to the sheath and to each IIO other by staples or other suitable fastenings, n, which are passed through the sheath and the band, which is preferably made of leather for durability.

A waistband, O, is secured to the upper horizontal edge of the bustle by staples, or in any other suitable manner, and to the inner side of this waistband is secured a supporting-band, 0, this supporting-band 0 being secured at intermediate points of its length to the waistband O by suit-ablestaples,o,or other fastening devices, so as to leave or provide loose or slack portions 0' at suitable regular intervals in the hand. These loose or slack portions 0 of the supporting band 0 have suspending-hooks P connected thereto, so as to be capable of sliding a limited distance on the supporting-band O, the movement of the suspending-hooks being limited by the fastenings passed through the supporting-band to connect it to the waistband. Each of these hooks P has a loop, p, having a cross-bar, p, and the strap 0 is passed through the loop and over the cross-bar p to securely connect the hooks to the strap and permit them to have a limited sliding movement or play thereon.

The rear side of each rear section of the corset is provided with two or more loops, Q, which are secured thereto near their lower edges, each of these loops being formed by a piece of fabric which is secured at its ends to the corset. In order to connect the bustle to the corset, it is only necessary to pass the hooks on the supportingband O of the bustle into the loops Q, of the corset, whereby the bustle will be securely connected to the corset and suspended therefrom, as will be readily understood.

The bustle is intended to be detachably connected to the corset, and the latter is thus adjusted to the person at the same time that the corset is placed in position, and the bustle is loosely connected to the corset, to thereby dispense with the straps on the corset, which are very injurious, as they have to be drawn very tight in order to properly support the bustle. In my invention, however, the sliding hooks loosely suspend the bustle from the corset,and the latter can give or yield freely to the motions of the wearer without hinderance from the bustle.

The bustle is provided on its inner side with an adjustable strap, P which is niadein two sections,which are adjustably connected together at their meeting ends by means of a buckle, r, and the free ends of the strap-sections are secured to opposite sides of the sheath of the bustle. This strap is arranged on the inner side of the bustle near the upper end thereof, and it can be lengthened to increase the size of the bustle and shortened to draw the sides of the bustle together, and thereby decrease the size of the same.

From the lower edges of the bustle depends a stiff piece of fabric, S, to aid in supporting the clothing of the wearer.

Shoulderstraps T are provided for the upper portions of the corset to relieve the waist of the wearer of the entire weight of the corset and bustle. The upper edge of each rear section of the corset is provided with a metallic loop, 2, which is permanently secured vin the corset-section, and the upper edge of each front section is l i k ewise provided with aloop, t, which is secured thereto in the same manner that the loops t are secured in'the rear se tions. The rear ends of the shoulder-straps are connected to the loops 1: on the rear sections of the corset and the front ends of the straps are secured to the loops t on the front sections of the corset. The shoulder-straps are each provided with a buckle, T, to which one end of one section of the strap is connected to adapt the straps to be lengthened and shortened.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be observed that I provide a corset which will yield or give to the motions of the wearer and can thus be worn with ease and comfort and without injury to the health. The bustle is connected to the corset in such a manner that it yields or gives to the motions of the corset, instead of necessitating the use of tightly drawn straps, which are objectionable in that they restrict and render the breathing difficult. I also provide a bustle which is suspended from the corset in a novel manner, so that it can be easily connected thereto and removed, and the construction of the bustle is such as to render it light, cool, cheap, and durable.

Slight changes in the form and proportion of parts can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The combination, with the corset having its sections yieldingly connected together and provided with supporting-loops Q, of a bustle provided with a waistband, O, and the hooks P, mounted on said waistband and having a limited play thereon and engaging the supporting-loops Q, substantially as described.

2. A corset having a metallic pocket fitted over the end of the steel thereof, said pocket having the pairs of arms lying on opposite sides of the corset, one pair of the arms having the prongs which pass through the corset on opposite edges of the steel and which are bent over the free ends of the other pair of arms of the pocket, as and for the purpose described. v

3. The combination, with the sectional corset, of the yielding straps G, connecting the front and rear sections thereof, the hip-pads L, secured to and depending from the bottom. straps, G, the straps L, and the straps M, connecting the opposite edges of the said pads to the rear and front sections of the corset, respectively, as set forth.

4. The combination of the corset provided with the loops Q, the hooks 1?, engaging said loops and having the crossbar 19, thereby forming the loops 1o 19, and the bustle provided with a waistband, 0, having slack portions passed through said loops and over said crossbar, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the front and rear corset-sections, the elastic straps G, connecting the adjacent edges of said sections and arranged in two inclined series which cross and recross each other, and fastenings passed through said straps at the several points of crossing, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of the corset flexibly connected, the bustle suspended therefrom by sliding hooks P, and the stiff fabric, S, sub- 15 stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHEBA PARMENTER.

Witnesses:

I. H. FULLERTON, J ESSIE PARMENTER. 

